statement (n.)

A term used in the classification of SENTENCE FUNCTION, and defined sometimes on GRAMMATICAL and sometimes on SEMANTIC or SOCIOLINGUISTIC grounds. SYNTACTICALLY, a statement is in English typically a sentence which contains a SUBJECT occurring before a VERB, e.g. The train is coming. Semantically, it is used primarily to convey information. The term is usually contrasted with three other major sentence functions: QUESTION, COMMAND, EXCLAMATION. In grammatical discussion, statements are usually referred to as DECLARATIVE or INDICATIVE in form.